Mesalia mesal (Deshayes, 1843)
S. Portugal to Canarias, to Alborán area.
Filter feeder in the infralittoral.
Original taxon: Turritella mesal.
15-20m deep, Strait of Gibraltar. 36-36mm.
Synonyms: brevialis Lamarck, 1822; varia Kiener, 1844.
Whitish specimens from the same spot. 37,5-38mm.
Specimens from Ria Formosa, Faro, S. Portugal. 22,5-28mm.
The sculpture varies in strength but not in its principle: one fat subsutural roll, followed by 4 cords, the highest on the whorl being the strongest, and the weakest being the lowest.
Numerous micro-striae between each cord.
In nets, Tanger-Tétouan area, N. Morocco. 52mm.
Turritella varia in L. C. Kiener: Spécies général et iconographie des coquilles vivantes vol. X, Paris 1875, genus Turritella Lamarck (1844), plate II fig.3-3a-3b.
 
« …about twelve convex whorls, traversed by some small decurrent keels. These keels are three or four on each whorl […] additionally, the whole surface is covered by a great number of extremely thin and regularly spaced striae, which, under magnification, seem granulous because of the longitudinal growth-striae that cross them at right angle. […] The shell is usually ash grey, purplish or blueish […] We gave it the name of Turritella varia because of the instability of its coloration and of its striae. » – L. C. Kiener: op. cit. p.42.
At low tide on sand, El Argoub, Western Sahara. 31,3mm. Original pictures provided by A. Nappo (IT).
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